Bracket for signal lanterns



Dec. 26, 1950 F. SHERMAN 2,535,962

: BRACKET FOR SIGNAL LANTERNS Filed March 2, 1950 h wentor: fEL/x HEEM4M Patented Dec. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRACKET FOR SIGNAL LANTERNS 7 Felix Sherman, Glassport, Pa.

Application March 2, 1950, Serial No. 147,169 3 Claims. (01. 248-229) The present invention relates to holding brackets and more particularly to a detachable base supporting bracket for securely holding signal lanterns on the towing bitts of barges or other river craft.

It has been the practice for many years to aifix signal lanterns or lamps to the towing bitts of barges during night travel. Heretofore, this had been done by tying the lanterns to the bitts with rope, cable or wire. This practice had caused considerable difficulty due to the tendency of the lantern fastenings to become loose, broken or untied and causing the lanterns to fall and break.

It is, accordingly, an object of my invention to provide a holding bracket assembly for signal lanterns which may be easily and quickly installed on the towing bitts of a barge and which when installed will securely hold a signal lantern in roper position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a holding bracket assembly which will permit rapid and easy placement or removal of signal lanterns.

These and other objects will be more apparent after referringto the following specification and attached drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view;

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the bracket of my invention attached to a towing bitt; and

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line III-III of Figure 1.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, reference numeral 2 indicates a typical barge towing bitt having a top surface 4 with an overhanging edge portion 6. Figures 1 and 2 show the base bracket assembly of my invention, indicated generally by the reference numeral 8, in position on the top of the towing bitt 2. The body portion of the bracket includes a ring In having a hole l2 through its side. A pin I4 projects from the inner wall of ring Ill at a point approximately opposite the hole l2. The ring i is held in position on the top of the bitt by means of curved lugs l6, l8 and 2B. Lugs I6 and I8 are welded or otherwise attached to the outer circumference of ring it and extend away therefrom to grip the overhanging edg 6 of top surface 4. The curved portion of lug is held against the overhanging edge 6 by a trigger arrangement, which will be presently described, that permits it to be pulled away from the edge 6 and turned for quick attachment or removal. It may be remarked here that the number of lugs may be varied as desired and that the shape of the gripping portions thereof ma be made to conform with the shape of the sides of a support other than a towing bitt.

The trigger arrangement for lug 2D is incorporated with means for holding the base of a signal lantern in the ring [0. The combined means are enclosed in an elongated casing 22 having a divider plate 24 intermediate its ends. The outer end 26 of the casing is provided with a center opening 28. The opposite end 30 is open. The casing 22 is preferably welded to the ring I0 with its open end 30 communicating with the hole I2 in the ring. A rod 32 is slidably disposed in the casing with its one end, which has a bearing surface 34 thereon, adjacent the plate 24 as best shown in Figure 3. The opposite end of the rod 32 projects through center opening 28 outwardly of the casing and has afiixed thereon a ring handle 36 to facilitate manipulation of the rod. A compression spring 38 is mounted circumferentially around the portion of rod 32 within the casing 22 with its one end bearing against the bearing surface 34 on the end of the rod and its other end bearing against the outer end 26 of casing 22. The spring 38 functions to constantly urge the rod toward the divider plate 24. The straight portion 40 of lug 20 is fixedly attached to the projecting end of rod 32 outside the casing as at 42. Thus, when it is desired to remove the bracket from its attached position, rod 321 is withdrawn and turned by means of handle 36 to disengage lug 20 from the overhanging edge 6.

A ball 44 having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the hole I2 is provided in the end 30 of the casing 22 and is fitted into hole l2 so that a portion thereof projects inwardly toward the center of ring ID. A compression spring 46 is positioned in the casing with its one end bearing against the divider plate 24 and its other end bearing against the ball 44 to constantly urge it inwardly. The larger diameter of ball 44 prevents it from passing completely through the hole l2.

In operation, a signal lantern or lamp s is first tilted with one side of its base contacting the pro- Jecting pin l4 and the other side raised over the ball 44; then, the lantern is fixed in position by pushing the raised portion of the base past the ball 44. Thus, the lantern is held securely in position through the cooperation of ball 44 with pin 14. The lantern is just as readily removed by reversing this process.

It is not intended to limit the scope of this invention to the use of the bracket described for holding signal lanterns on towing bitts but rather to include any use to which the invention lends itself and to any modification of the invention within the scope of the claims hereinafter recited.

I claim:

1. A bracket assembly for holding a signal lamp fixed in place on the top surface of a vertical support, said assembly including a ring member having a hole through one side thereof, a plurality of lugs attached to said ring in spaced relation around its outer circumference and extending therefrom to grip the edges of said top surface, a ball disposed in said hole with a portion thereof projecting from both sides of said hole, spring means contacting the portion of said ball projecting outwardly of said ring for urging said ball inwardly toward the center of said ring, and a pin projecting from the inner Wall of said ring at a point opposite said hole, said ball and said pin cooperating to hold the base of a signal lamp yieldably in said ring.

2. A bracket assembly for holding a signal lamp fixed in place on the top surface of a vertical support, said assembly including a ring member having a hole through one side thereof, a plural ity of lugs attached to said ring in spaced relation around its outer circumference and extending therefrom to grip the edge of said top surface, an elongated casing having a center opening in one end attached to the side of said ring and extending outwardly therefrom with its end having the center opening away from said ring, a rod slidably disposed within said housing with one end projecting outwardly through said center opening, a

bearing surface on the end of said rcd adjacent said ring, a compression spring in said casing having one end bearing against said bearing surface and its other end bearing against the end of said casing surrounding said center opening to urge said rod toward said ring, a lug attached to said rod adjacent its projecting end, said last named lug extending from said rod to grip the edge of said top surface, a ball disposed in said hole with a portion thereof projecting from both sides of said hole, spring means contacting the portion of said ball projecting outwardly of said ring for urging said ball inwardly in said hole toward the center of said ring, and a pin projecting from the inner wall of said ring at a point opposite said hole, said ball and said pin cooperating to hold the base of a signal lamp yieldably in said ring.

3. A bracket assembly for holding a signal lamp fixed in place on a towing bitt having a top surface with an overhanging edge, said assembly including a ring member having a hole through one side thereof, a plurality of lugs attached to said ring in spaced relation around its outer circumference and extending therefrom to grip the overhanging edge of said top surface, an elongated casing having an inner and outer end and a divider plate therein intermediate its ends attached to said ring with its inner end communicating with said hole, said casing extending from said hole in the direction normal to the axis of the ring, the outer end of the casing having a center opening therein, a ball having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of said hole disposed in the inner end of said casing and fitted in said hole with a portion thereof projecting inwardly from said hole toward the center of the ring, a compression spring disposed in said casing with its one end bearing against said divider plate and its other end bearing against said ball to urge the same inwardly, a rod slidably disposed within said casing adjacent the side of said divider plate opposite said compression spring, a bearing surface on the end of said rod adjacent said divider plate, the opposite end of said rod' projecting outwardly of said casing through said center opening, a compression spring mounted circumferentially around said rod with its one end bearing against said bearing surface and its other end bearing against the outer end of said housing to urge said rod toward said divider plate, a lug fixedly attached to said rod adjacent its projecting end, said last named lug extending from said rod to grip the overhanging edge of said top surface, and a pin projecting from the inner Wall of said ring at a point opposite said hole, said ball and said pin cooperating to hold the base of a signal lamp yieldably in said ring.

FELIX SHERMAN.

No references cited. 

